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Technology | Mobile Money and Telcos

Mobile Subscriptions in Nigeria Rise to 222.23m in 2022

Jan 25, 2023   •   by CSL Research   •   Source: CSL   •   eye-icon 191 views

According to new data from the Nigerian Communications Commission, the total number of subscriptions grew from 195.13 million as of December 2021 to 222.23 million as of December 2022. This is despite the implementation of the Federal Government’s National Identification Number-Subscriber Identity Module policy. At the start of the policy in April 2021, over 72.77 million active telecommunication subscribers were barred from making calls. But the industry has since shaken off this effect, and this is evident by the 13.89% growth in subscriptions in 2022. An increase in broadband penetration has continued to lead to increased growth in the ICT sector which in turn continues to drive output in the overall economy. 

 

The growth in subscriptions in 2022, signified a complete shake-off of the decline that plagued the telecoms industry in 2021 when the total number of mobile subscriptions declined by 4.42% from 204.15 million as of December 2020 to 195.13 million as of December 2021. In the period under review, Subscriptions from MTN Nigeria grew by 20.96% from 73.59 million to 89.02 million; Airtel grew by 11.38% from 53.93 million to 60.07 million; Globacom grew by 9.98% from 54.82 million to 60.29 million; and 9mobile grew by 0.49% from 12.79 million to 12.85 million. 

 

In Nigeria, broadband penetration has seen a quantum leap in recent months, indicating a steady rise in the nation’s quest to achieve 70% national coverage by 2025. Nigeria’s increasing youth population and high urbanization growth are factors that are expected to boost growth in Nigeria’s mobile population which is the largest in Africa. An increase in internet subscriptions is also expected to contribute to increased mobile penetrations, given the increase in coverage of the 4G network and the impending roll-out of the 5G network. The CBN’s aggressive push towards a cashless economy which is evident in their monetary policy cash withdrawal policy is also a boost for the sector as it is expected to push people, especially those living in rural areas into getting Internet-enabled phones, as people would be forced to adopt online banking. Poor telecom infrastructure and the high level of insecurity in rural areas are factors that could threaten growth in mobile subscriptions in the country.

 

 

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